The government has called a halt to outdated rules which force men in England to wait five years longer than women to qualify for a bus pass.

From 1 April, men between 60 and 64 will automatically receive half price bus fares for the first time.

Under current rules, local authorities are only obliged to offer at least 50% off fares to women from the age of 60 and men at 65.

The changes will apply in England only but should benefit more than a million older men.

Social exclusion

Local authorities will also be required to extend any other travel concessions they offer to women at 60 to men of the same age.

It is a bit of a lottery

Rhian Beynon, Age Concern England

Local authorities will be given an additional £50m to help them meet the costs of equalising this age of entitlement.

Transport Minister John Spellar said: "This is very good news for a great number of older men.

"Bus services are a vital means of linking communities and tackling the problem of social exclusion...I hope men who can now get cheap fares will use the bus more often or even try it for the first time."